Technology is transforming the way we do business. Now more then ever, business technology is becoming more powerful – and more affordable. Solutions that were previously too costly for small- and medium-sized businesses are now available to fit most any budget, and that makes this a great time to evaluate your current office technology.
One technology that small- and medium-sized businesses and home office users often overlook is their phone system. In this age of email, websites, virtual customer service and online order fulfillment, it’s easy to forget how important our phone systems are for communicating with our customers.
Is your current phone system meeting your needs? Here are a few things to consider:
Can your phone system route calls to individual extensions in your organization? It’s great to have someone who can field all calls and direct callers to the appropriate employees, but that’s not always possible. A phone system can do that quickly and efficiently. Instead of getting passed around from person to person, a caller can listen to a menu and in a matter of seconds be transferred to the person they need to speak with. Menu options can also include services. Callers who need to place an order can press “1,” others needing to track an order can press “2,” those needing store operating hours can press “3,” etc. This saves you time, and saves your caller lots of frustration.
Does your current phone system have voice mail? You would be surprised at the number of businesses that don’t allow customers to leave messages during off hours, or when there is no employee available to assist the caller. A customer can’t always call during business hours, so it’s important to provide that service. Today’s sophisticated phone systems can even offer the caller options. If all employees are busy, the caller can choose to leave a message, or wait on the line until the person they need to speak with becomes available.
Does your business have employees or contractors who work from home or from another location? There are affordable phone systems on the market that will allow you to transfer calls seamlessly to that remote worker, as if they were in the office right next to you. The customer gets to the right person with one transfer, the employee gets the call immediately, and everyone wins. If you have employees with wireless phones, you can have their calls follow them, as well, making sure that your business will never lose an important call.
First impressions count for a lot. If you walk into a retail establishment for the first time, chances are you will have formulated an opinion about the business in the first minute of being there. Now, have you considered the impression that your customers get when they call you? A professional phone system can make a huge impact. Whether you are in a small office with very few employees or a home office by yourself, a sophisticated phone system can streamline your operation and give you a polished, professional appearance. Those first few moments can be crucial when it comes to building long-term relationships with your customers.
Think managing all of these features seems difficult? Not so. A phone system with a computer-based interface can allow you to manage voice mail settings, messages, ring groups, even hold music – quickly and easily, with just a few clicks of your mouse.
While these features might seem like things that are outside of the average budget of many small- and medium-sized businesses, there are definitely affordable solutions out there for every budget. If you haven’t evaluated your current phone system, take the time to do that today, and take advantage of the new technology that’s out there. Your business depends on it!
